LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has ordered strict action against vehicles that emit smoke, as part of efforts to control smog in the city.
During a hearing on the smog control case, the judge said that officers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should be seen monitoring roads themselves. The court directed that EPA directors stand on roads to identify vehicles producing smoke.
The judge noted that the air quality index (AQI) had improved over the past few days and stressed the need to keep it that way. The court demanded duty rosters of EPA officers and ordered that they be deployed at all entry and exit points of Lahore and motorways.
The judge remarked that many vehicles seen on the roads emit thick smoke, yet officials fail to take action. The court instructed that banners be displayed across the city, traffic police be included in the campaign, and strict action be taken against violators.
A member of the judicial commission informed the court that sixty trucks with high carbon emissions had been seized and sixteen illegal rickshaw workshops had been sealed.
The court further directed authorities to intensify the crackdown across Punjab so that within two weeks, no smoke-emitting vehicle is seen on the roads.
